This Pore-Checking Site, Made for the “Acne Girlies”
Consult this free page before slathering a single drop on your skin.
Metaphorically: Me on the World Wide Web checking ingredient pages
Literally: In the Laboratory by Henry Alexander
Let’s take things to the medicine cabinet, specifically yours. Do you have acne-prone skin? According to the American Academy of Dermatology, acne is the most common skin condition in the United States, affecting up to 50 million Americans annually. But maybe you're not part of that 50 million. Perhaps you have eczema or skin sensitivity or just are invested in the ingredients in your skincare routine. If any such situations apply to you, I have the free (!) website(s) just for you.
Personally, I have extremely sensitive yet frustratingly acne-prone skin. Before I even consider purchasing a product or slathering a single drop of anything on my face, I consult the “Acne Whisperer” Sofie Pavitt. More specifically, Pavitt’s Non-Comedogenic Ingredients Checker™. Pavitt has taken New York and the beauty industry as a whole by storm in the last few years, particularly for her jaw-dropping before and after results with acne-prone clients. So, naturally, the Queen of Acne has created a page to assess comedogenic ingredients, or the pore-clogging likeliness, of your daily routine. Simply copy and paste the ingredient list directly into the Checker window and it’ll flag the specific ingredients that have pore-clogging capabilities and why. You can do this for skincare, makeup, and even haircare (important as it interacts with our face, neck and back) and is a genius little guide for those prone to blemishes.
The Ingredients Checker came to fruition out of confusion — specifically her clients. “I predominantly work with clients who are dealing with acne, breakouts, and generally problematic skin,” says Pavitt. “One of the first things I always recommend is to remove comedogenic ingredients out of their routines as these can clog the pores and inhibit the clearing process. My clients were finding it hard to pour through the ingredient lists on their products and so I had a search engine created to copy and paste these lists into to make it easier for them.” Is this Ingredients Checker for everyone? Sure, but it really was designed “for the acne girlies,” says Pavitt.
The ‘Philosophy’ tab is part of the education arm of Pavitt’s new line Sofie Pavitt Face. The brilliant collection consists of a thoughtful, carefully-crafted face wash, mandelic acid serum, and frozen toner pods, all of which are geared for any and all skin types, but especially sensitive and acne-prone.
Knee deep into your copy and pasting in the Ingredients Checker, product after product (even in products marketed toward acne-prone or oily skin) being flagged as comedogenic, you may begin to question the industry as a whole. (“Don’t these brands know this is only causing more clogged pores?! Are they doing it on purpose!?”) Pavitt has a more nuanced take. “Comedogenic ingredients aren’t evil, in fact, the reason why they’re used is they create amazing texture and finish in a product,” she says. “They feel GREAT on the skin.” She notes these ingredients can happily exist in a formula and not cause the normal user any issues, but if you’re acne-prone, you may not have the luxury of experimentation. “My approach to clearing skin is to take the path of least resistance, taking out all comedogenic ingredients regardless of formulation or nuance is the easiest way to clear up a client fast,” she says. “Once they’re clear, and maintaining, slowly adding a potentially problematic product back in is the easiest way to see if it’ll break them out.” Perhaps you’ll like the formula and your skin will respond well to it, she adds, and if so, great! (Pavitt, ever the thoughtful skincare politician, stops short of demonizing any ingredient.)
If you’d like another site to consider and consult, try Beverly Hills-based Biba de Sousa and her in-depth Pore Clogger Checker. Like Pavitt, de Sousa is a licensed aesthetician, has a bevy of celebrity clientele, and specializes in acne-prone skin. She also has a results-oriented skincare line (also eponymously named — Biba Los Angeles) geared towards acne-prone skin. The Pore Clogger Checker allows for a tad more customization, with tabs that narrow down the product type and your specific skin type.
No matter the site (we’re spoiled for choice!), consider consulting your product's inkey list before considering purchasing. Pavitt and de Sousa would be so proud of you.